Given the recent premiere of Disney’s Obi-Wan Kenobi miniseries on Disney Plus, it seems fitting that we take a look at the architectural language of the Star Wars franchise as a whole. With a number of planets and cities viewed throughout the series, there’s a nod to many architectural styles. Let’s take a look.
We see a number of futuristic and classic stylings throughout Star Wars. Given the lack of resources or capital on some planets, it becomes clear in the built environment that there is a class divide. Tatooine, where the Obi-Wan series is set, features minimalist clay-like forms that mirror its natural environment.
Compared to Coruscant, the Imperial Centre of the galaxy which features dense urban build up, it's obvious George Lucas wanted to make the juxtaposition between rich and poor a very straightforward one.
Naboo (pictured top) is the planet with easily the most depth. Featuring an underwater city consisting of futuristic pods and a palace akin to the Plaza de España, the curved built forms and monolithic pylons make for a civilisation not too dissimilar to the likes of ancient Greece.
Brutalism seems to be the styling of choice for the antagonists of the movies. In Tatooine, Jabba the Hutt’s ‘palace’ is unforgiving in its design language, with stone, steel and linear architecture establishing the crime boss’ role in the movie. Perhaps the most obvious example of brutalism depicting evil is the Death Star, with its symmetrical grid-like trenches and muted colour scheme.
The broad range of architectural aesthetics on show within the Star Wars films, TV shows and comic books is a strength of the much-loved series. Each built to reflect its economic strength, the planets benefit from the fact that filming has to take place away from the green screen, with the producers wisely shooting in eclectic locations that showcase the individuality of each planet.
Images: Wookiepedia, Wikipedia Commons
